Timepiece



Feb. 23, 1960 w, MATHEZ 2,925,707

TIMEPIECE Filed Feb. 5, 1954 WILLIAM NUMA MATHELDECEASED, BY LUCIE A. MATHEZ- ETIENNE HEIR United States Patent TIMEPIECE Application February-5, 1954, Serial No. 408,438

8 Claims. (Cl. 58-76) 'This invention has for its object a timepiece wherein the time-setting knob is mounted on its stem in a manner such as will allow a slight axial shifting of the knob with reference to the stem, said knob being rigid with a sleeve, the castellated end of which may, according to the axial position of the knob with reference to the stem, cooperate with a member controlling a chrono graph or the like mechanism associated with the clockwork of the timepiece without acting on the stem, or else, be released with reference to said controlling member so that the stem may be angularly shifted with the knob with a view to selectively winding up the clockwork or setting the watch to time without any action on said controlling member.

There has been shown in accompanying drawing by way of exemplification, a preferred embodiment of the object of the invention. In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a chronograph watch;

' Fig. 2 is a cross-section through line 11-11 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-section through line III-III of Fig. 2. The timepiece illustrated is a wrist watch of the well known chronograph type i.e. a time keeper leaving a record of its going, and including means carried by a winding stem arranged to start, stop and reset flyback hands.

In the accompanying drawings, the timepiece is provided with a chronograph arrangement including a cam 1 controlling the reset hammers 2a and 2b. These hammers controlling the flyback hands are rigid with said cam, since they are integral with a common forked lever 2 secured to the cam 1 by a screw 3. It is apparent that the cam may assume as described hereinafter three angular positions of which one corresponds to operative engagement of the reset hammers 2a and 2b with reference to the reset earns 11 and 17 carrying the flyback hands. As to the other angular positions of the cam they correspond to the starting and the stopping of the actual chronograph arrangement.

As a matter of fact and as disclosed hereinafter, the different positions assumed by the cam 1 are controlled by a knob fitted slidingly on the winding stem and controlling the latter when in a predetermined position on the said stem for winding and time setting purposes, while said knob provides when shifted inwardly over the Winding stem for disconnection between said knob and said winding stem and for operation of the chronograph arrangement through an angular shifting of the cam between the above mentioned positions thereof. Turning to the means connecting the cam with the chronograph arrangement, the cam 1 carries a screw 4 operatively engaging the chronograph rocker 5 which is pivotally secured at 6 to the frame of the clockwork,

2,925,707 Patented Feb. 23, 1960 cam 11. The cam 1 acts also on the screw 12 carried by 'a further rocker 13 pivotally secured at 14 to the frame of the clockwork. Said rocker 13 carries a wheel 15 controlling the wheel 16 of the meter which is rigid with a heart-shaped, return-to-zero cam 17. The cam '1 is submitted to the action of two jumpers 18 and 19. The jumper 18 cooperates with the cam 1 for three operative positions of the latter, while the jumper 19 acts on the cam 1 only for one of said operative positions; Thus, the stress to be applied with a view to bringing the cam 1 into said position in which it is held by both jumpers and which corresponds to the resetting of the chronograph wheel 10 and of the meter wheel 16, is larger than that required for bring the cam 1 into either of its two other positions defined by the jumper 18 alone and corresponding to the starting and to the stopping of the chronograph wheel and meter. It should be remarked that obviously the chronograph arrangement includes a pinion which is not illustrated, which is coaxially rigid with the wheel 10 and which controls the wheel 15 controlling in its turn the meter wheel 16.

The angular shiftings of the cam 1 are controlled by a two-arm lever 20 pivotally secured at 21 to the frame of the clockwork; one of the arms 20a of said lever is folded at right angle (Fig. 2), while the other arm 20b, terminates with a circular part 20c engaging a notch 22 in the cam 1. The angular shifting of the lever 20 produces thus an angular movement of the cam round it pivotal axis 23. The pivotal axis 21 of the lever 20 is perpendicular to the winding stem 24 of the watch and crosses the latter.

The winding-up means include a stem 24 (Fig. 2) on which is screwed a core 25 surrounded by a sliding sleeve 26 the head 26a of which is fitted inside the actual knob 27. The core 25 is provided with an elongated shaped head 25a extending through a correspondingly shaped opening provided in the bottom of the sleeve 26;

said head 25a is housed inside a circular recess 28 in the knob 27 and is fitted therein at 29 in overlapping relationship with reference to the sleeve 26. By reason of this arrangement, the knob 27, which, in the position shown is angularly rigid with the core 25 and consequently with the stem 24, is capable of executing a slight axial movement with reference to the latter, which axial movement is limited on one hand by the head 25a abutting against the bottom of the recess 28, and on the other hand by the abutment of the overlapping inner edge of said head against the bottom of the sleeve 26. The two extreme axial positions of the sleeve 26 with reference to the-core '25 are stable by reason of the action of the elastic coil 30 constituted by a split ring housed inside an annular groove 31 formed at the periphery of the core 25 and engaging selectively either of the two inner grooves 32 extending annularly on the inner surface of the sleeve 26.

The inner end of the sleeve 26 is castellated at 33 and, when pressure is exerted on the knob 27 the arm 20a of the lever 20 engages one of the castellations 33, whereby an angular shifting of the knob 27 moves the lever 20 which in its turn shifts the cam 1; when it is desired to wind up the watch, it is sufiicient to exert a slight tractional stress on the knob 27 so as to return it into the position illustrated in Fig. 2, without the core 25 being axially-shifted. A rotation ofthe knob 27 will then act on the stem 24 and produce the desired winding of the watch. j When it is desired to set the watch to time, the knob is drawn out further so as to shift axially the core 25 and consequently the stem 24 and to bring the latter outwardly into the position for which the rotation of the knob sets the watch to time.

It will be thus readily ascertained that when the knob 3 27 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the knob controls the rotation of the stem 24, and provides for the conventional winding of the watch. When the knob is drawn, towardsthe right of Fig. 2, it draws along with it as: conventionalin the art, the stem 24, so .that rotation ,ofthe knob 27 will 'now allow a setting of the time. In'contradistinction, the third position of the knob 2 7-when'pushed with the sleeve 26 to the left of the position illustrated in Fig. 2, will provide fora disconnection between the core 25 or more accurately the head 25a and the sleeve 26, so that the latter can no longer control the stem 24, and revolves freely on the latter. On the other hand, a castellation ofthe sleeve 26, has engaged I the lever 20 atZtDa so'that the rotation of the knob is adapted to overcome the resistance of the jumpers 18 and 19 and operates thecam 1 as desired to set it in any of its three positions. I V

This invention is by no means limited to the case where the lever 20 serves for the control of a chronograph cam and it may for instance control a pillar wheel or again, an arrangement for the positioning of the. means indicating the day of the month in a calendar watch.

What is claimed is: "l1. In a timepiece including a case and a clockwork, the combination of a winding stem, carried radially of the case, a control knob slidingly carried by said stem and adapted to selectively assume two operative positions longitudinally of said stem, a sleeve coaxially surrounding the stem, the outer end of. which is rigid with the knob and the inner end of which, facing thecase, is castellated, an auxiliary timing mechanism adapted to be controlled by the clockwork, a controlling member adapted to shift the auxiliary mechanism between its operative and inoperative positions and adapted to be engaged by the castellated end of the sleeve when depressed inwardly with 'th@ knob, the common angular movement of the depressed sleeve and knob shifting the controlling member engaged by the castellated end of the sleeve between predetermined positions to make. the auxiliary mechanism move, between its operative and inoperative positions.

2. in a timepiece including a case and .a clockwork, the combination of a winding stem carried radially of the case, a control knob slidingly carried by said stem and adapted tov selectively assume two operative positions longitudinally of said stern, cooperating means on the stem and on the knob engaging each other for a first outer longitudinai position ofsaid knob to make said knob and stem angularly rigid with each other in said position, said means being disengaged from each other to release said stem from the knob when said knob is located in an inner longitudinal position, said cooperating means including a sleeve coaxially surrounding the stem, the outer end of which is rigid with the knob and the inner end of which, facing the case, is castellated, art-auxiliary timing mechanism adapted to be controlled by the clockwork, a controlling member adapted to shift the auxiliary mechanism between its operative and inoperative positions and adapted to be engaged by the castellated end of the sleeve when depressed inwardly with the knob, the common angular movements of the depressed sleeve and knob shifting the controlling member engaged by the castellated end of the sleeve between predetermined positions to make the auxiliary mechanism move between its operative and inoperative positions, and themovement of the knob and sleeve when brought into their outer longitudinal positions controlling the winding stern.

3. In a timepiece including a case, a clockwork and a frame carrying the latter, the combination of a winding stem carried radially of the case, a control knob slidingly carried by said stern and adapted to selectively assume two operative positions longitudinally of said stem, a sleeve coaxially surrounding the stem, the outer-end of which is rigid with the knob and the inner end of which, facing the case, is castellated, an. auxiliary timingrnechanismadapted to be controlled by the clockwork, a lever pivotally secured to the frame, the pivotal axis of said lever being perpendicular to the axis of the winding stem and crossing the latter, the outer end of the lever being folded at a right angle to enter the path of the castellated end of the sleeve, to be engaged by said castellated end upon movement of the sleeve and knob towards their inner longitudinal position, the common angular movement of the knob and sleeve shifting said controlling lever engaged by said castellated end between predetermined positions, the movement of the knob and sleeve when brought into their outer longitudinal position controlling the winding stem, and an intermediate member controlled by said lever and controlling the auxiliary timing mechanism.

4. In a timepiece including a case and a clockwork and a frame carrying the latter, the combination of a Winding stem, carried radially of the case, a control knob ,slidingly carried by said stem and adapted to selectively assume two operative positions longitudinally of said stem, a sleeve coaxially surrounding the stem, the outer end of which is rigid with the knob and the inner end of which, facing the case, is castellated, a lever pivotally secured to the frame, the pivotal axis of said lever being perpendicular to the axis of the winding stem and crossing the latter, the outer end of the lever being folded at a right angle to enter the path of the castellated end upon movement of the sleeve and knob towards their inner longitudinal position, a chronograph mechanism inside the case adapted to be controlled by the clockwork and a cam controlling the conditions of stein, a sleeve coaxially surrounding the stem, the outer end of which is rigid with the knob and the inner end of which, facing the case, is castellated, a lever pivotally secured to the frame, the pivotal axis of said lever being perpendicular to the axis of the Winding stem and crossing the latter, the outer end of the lever being folded at a right angle to enter the path of the castellated end of the sleeve, to be engaged by said castellated end upon movement of the sleeve and knob towards their inner longitudinal position, a chronograph mechanism including a chronograph wheel, a meter wheel, hammers adapted to reset the chronograph wheel and the meter wheel, transmission wheels permanently controlled by the'clockwork and adapted to control the chronograph wheel and the meter wheel, rockers carrying said transmission wheels and adapted to urge them in their operative wheelcontrolling positions, and a revoluble cam controlling the resetting hammers and the angular position of the rockers, the angular movements of the control cam being controlled by the pivoting movement of the controlling lever produced by the rotation of the knob in its inner position.

6. 'A timepiece comprising a case, a clockwork including a frame and contained in the case, a chronograph mechanism including a chronograph wheel, a meter wheel, a transmission wheel controlling the chronograph wheel, a second transmission wheel, controlling the meter wheel, two "rockers pivotally secured to the clockwork frame and each carrying one of said transmission wheels to operatively connect the corresponding transmission Wheel with the clockwork for a predetermined angular position of the rocker, resetting hammers adapted to reset the chronograph wheel and the meter wheel, a revoluble cam, controlling both the resetting hammers and the angular positions of the rockers and adapted to enter selectively three different positions corresponding respectively to the resetting of the chronograph and meter wheels, to the starting of said chronograph wheel and meter wheel, and to the stopping of said chronograph wheel and meter wheel, a first jumper adapted to cooperate with said cam to define selectively the three positions just defined and a second jumper cooperating with the cam only for holding it in that position which corresponds to the resetting operation of the hammers, a winding stem projecting out of the case, a winding knob mounted coaxially on said stem and adapted to slide longitudinally with reference to said stem and to assume two well defined longitudinal positions thereon, a sleeve coaxially surrounding the stem, the outer end of which is rigid with the knob and the inner end of which facing the case is castellated, means whereby the stem is adapted to revolve in unison with the sleeve and knob for one longitudinal position of the knob and sleeve and is independent of the rotation of the knob and sleeve for the second longitudinal position of the knob and sleeve, a lever rotatably mounted round a pivotal axis perpendicular to the axis of the stern and crossing the latter, said lever controlling the angular position of the control cam in the chronograph mechanism and the outer end of the lever being folded at right angles to enter the path of the castellated end of the sleeve to be engaged by the said end upon shifting of the knob into its second longitudinal position, the common angular movement of the shifted knob and sleeve moving said controlling lever engaged by the castellated end to make the revoluble cam assume selectively one of its three predetermined positions.

7. In a timepiece comprising a case, a clockwork inside the case, a frame for the clockwork and an auxiliary timing mechanism controlled by the clockwork, the combination of a longitudinally slidable winding stem projecting out of the case, a winding knob mounted coaxially on said stem and adapted to assume selectively two difierent positions longitudinally of the stem, a sleeve coaxially surrounding the stem, the outer end of which is peripherally rigid with the knob and is provided with an oblong diametrical opening and the inner end of which facing the case is castellated, the terminal inner surface of the knob forming a recess the diameter of which is larger than that of the stem, and than the length of the oblong opening in the outer end of the sleeve, a head having an oblong shape, rigid with the outer end of the stem, adapted to occupy said recess in the knob and adapted to be shifted in accordance with the position of the knob with reference to the stem between a position for which said head engages the opening in the outer end of the sleeve and a position in which the head releases the sleeve and engages the bottom of the surface of the recess in the knob, the stem revolving in unisonwith the sleeve and knob for the first position of the stem head and being angularly independent of said sleeve and knob when said head is located in the second position, and an auxiliary member controlling the conditions of operation of the auxiliary timing mechanism, pivotally mounted on the frame and the outer end of which registers with the path of the castellated end of the sleeve to be engaged by said castellated end of the sleeve upon depression of the knob inwardly into the position corresponding to the said predetermined second position of the stem head, the common angular movement of the knob, sleeve and controlling member engaged by said castellated end pro ducing operation of the auxiliary timing mechanism, and the rotation of the knob and sleeve controlling the stem head when in its first position to produce selectively the winding of the timepiece and the setting of the timepiece to time.

8. In a timepiece comprising a case, a clockwork inside the case and an auxiliary timing mechanism controlled by the clockwork, the combination of a longitudinally slidable winding stem projecting out of the case, a winding knob provided with a large stepped rear recess mounted coaxially on said stem and adapted to assume selectively two different positions longitudinally of the stem, a sleeve coaxially surrounding the stem the outer end of which includes a peripheral flange fitted with a. force fit inside the rear peripheral wall of the knob be hind the step in the recess, said flange surrounding the winding stem and being provided with a non-concentric opening into the bottom of the recess in the knob, a head rigid with the outer end of the stem and adapted to fit inside the non-concentric opening of the sleeve flange to be driven thereby and to be shifted out of same upon inward depression of the knob into a position between the bottom of the knob recess and said flange, a pivoting member controlling the conditions of operation of the auxiliary timing mechanism and adapted to be angularly shifted by the rotation of the inner end of the sleeve when the latter is pushed inwardly upon depression of the knob.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

